Today, 8th March, marks International Women’s Day, a day established by the United Nations to highlight the ongoing struggle for equality, respect, and the recognition of women’s rights worldwide. Each year, 8th March serves as a symbolic and significant date in the women’s rights movement, providing an opportunity to reflect on the violence, discrimination, and systemic barriers that women continue to face. It is also a moment to acknowledge how much progress remains to be made.
Despite the advancements achieved, women still have to fight not only to gain rights but also to safeguard those already won, which continue to be at risk. The 8th of March is therefore a crucial occasion to bring these inequalities to light on a broader scale.
The origins of a day dedicated to the women’s movement can be traced back to the early 20th century, shaped by the industrial revolution—a period of profound progress, innovation, and emerging social movements, including the fight for women’s suffrage. Women’s Day was first celebrated in 1909 by the American Socialist Party in New York. In Europe, the movement became closely linked to the socialist movement, particularly in Russia following the 1917 revolution. Under Lenin, National Women’s Day was integrated into socialist ideology and observed across communist countries.
However, after two decades, the day gradually faded into obscurity and ceased to be widely commemorated. It was not until the 1960s and 1970s, with the rise of the Women’s Rights Movement, that it regained prominence. This social and political movement, which championed women’s empowerment, freedom, and equality, played a key role in reviving International Women’s Day, ensuring its continued relevance in the ongoing fight for gender equality.
Officially recognized by the UN in 1977, the International Women’s Day is celebrated all around the world to promote gender equality, denounce violence and abuse against women, encourage women empowerment and women’s rights
In many countries, peaceful demonstrations and marches are organised on the 8th of March to celebrate Women’s Day. This year, the United Nations’ official International Women’s Day slogan, “For All Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment,” perfectly summarises what this day represents.
Women’s Day is about remembering that every policy change and legal victory has been driven by brave activists who have organised, protested, and called for action.
International Women’s Day is about continuing the fight for girls’ and women’s rights, empowerment, opportunities, freedom, and health. It is about recognising how much progress still needs to be made to create a truly equal world for future generations.
ALDA, the European Association for Local Democracy, focuses on advancing women’s rights and empowerment, primarily through projects within the Gender, Inclusion, and Human Rights Hub.
Initiatives such as Politik-Her, which aims to empower young women in building cohesive, inclusive, and sustainable communities, and YOU-DARE, which examines how far-right youth groups construct and mobilise gender identities, undermining democratic values, seek to improve women’s lives and raise awareness of the inequalities they face at the European level.
On this day, and every day, we stand with every girl and woman in the fight for equal rights, freedom, and empowerment.